A large number of residents in Rawalakot, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), staged a sit-in protest at D-Chowk on Sunday, 2 August, with the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) warning that a peaceful long march toward Muzaffarabad could commence at any time. The protests come amid reports of intermittent heavy firing by security forces in the region, according to a statement released by the JAAC.

Situation on the Ground

The JAAC reported that women and children were maintaining a separate sit-in at Dreak, where protests have continued for 50 days. The committee said the demonstrations would persist until the movement's recognised demands are acted upon. Protesters were heard raising slogans: 'Aawaz do hum ek hai, Kashmir ke pahadon mein hum ek hai.'

Sharing visuals from the protest site on X, the JAAC stated: 'Rawalakot: At D-Chowk, the public is staging a temporary sit-in protest, and a peaceful long march toward Muzaffarabad could commence at any time — security forces are carrying out intermittent heavy firing. However, no martyrdoms have been reported in Rawalakot.'

Reported Casualties and Crackdown

On Saturday, JAAC member Sardar Umar Nazir Kashmiri said in a post on X that more than 50 people had been killed and hundreds injured over the preceding four days in what he described as a brutal crackdown by Pakistani forces. His post read: 'In the past 4 days, the forces have killed more than 50 of our people through brutal terrorism, and hundreds are injured…'

The JAAC also reported that late-night protests continued across the Muzaffarabad region, with demonstrators remaining on the streets demanding protection of fundamental rights and implementation of commitments made by local authorities. This is not an isolated flare-up — the region has seen rolling unrest over recent weeks, with the Dreak sit-in alone stretching across 50 days.

Videos Show Alleged Police Action

Several videos circulated on social media in recent days, including on the JAAC's own handles, purportedly showing security forces using force against protesters. One widely shared clip reportedly showed women protesters fleeing as local police opened fire on a peaceful rally in PoK's Kotli. NationPress could not independently verify the authenticity of all footage.

UN Briefing by UKPNP Delegation

A delegation of the United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP), led by its Chairman Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, held a series of meetings at the United Nations Headquarters in New York to brief UN officials on the reported human rights situation in PoK.

The delegation expressed grave concern over the deteriorating rights environment and urged the UN, the international community, governments, human rights organisations, and democratic institutions to 'take prompt and effective action to prevent further loss of life and protect fundamental human rights' in the region.

It further called on Pakistani authorities to exercise maximum restraint, immediately cease the use of lethal force against peaceful protesters, hand over the bodies of all civilians killed during the unrest to their families, disclose the whereabouts of those subjected to alleged enforced disappearances, and release individuals it described as 'unlawfully' detained.

What Happens Next

With the JAAC indicating the long march toward Muzaffarabad could begin at any moment, and the Dreak sit-in showing no signs of ending, the situation in PoK remains volatile. The UKPNP's UN outreach signals an effort to internationalise the issue, though any formal UN response would depend on member-state backing — which remains uncertain.